An old man's tale
by mateja007
Summary: ONE SHOT! Filch rememberes his times with Simone...before she died. The next morning Dumbledore finds his body. He is finally with his Simone again. AFOC


_**O**k, after seeing the amount of stories about poor Filch I just had to write something. (If you're wondering, there are 97 stories about Filch, 9 of which are labeled as drama)_

_**Disclaimer**: Am I making money? Well, yes, but not with this story._

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**O**NE SHOT 

**An old man's tale**

**I**t was a clear winter night. The stars were shining bright and the fresh white snow glistered in the moonlight. The old castle made it look like a picture from an old children's book. Everything seemed so happy… The children were in their safe and warm rooms playing chess, studying or just talking. Even in the gloomy dungeons the teenagers were having fun. For just one night their masks were cast aside as they sat in front of the warm fireplace. It was the last day before the holidays started and everyone was making the most of it. In a remote room near the astronomy tower the old caretaker was having a quiet dinner with his loyal old cat. There were no students roaming the halls tonight and no muddy corridors to clean.

He looked at the cat, smiling slightly. The cat reminded him of his Simone.Oh no, Simone looked nothing like Mrs. Norris but they both had the same volatile temper and cunningness. That was why he called the cat Mrs. Norris. Some students made rude jokes about his cat and Filch hated them for it even though they didn't know that another Mrs. Norris once owned his heart, still did. It used to be Simone's last name. She was the only woman Argus ever loved excluding his mother which he loved dearly until she died some 30 years ago even though she disowned him once she found out he was a squib. Argus knew that even though she didn't love him as much as she loved his brother she was a good person. He regretted that she didn't live long enough to meet Simone. He was sure that she would love the delicate-looking witch that somehow managed to fall in love with him. He didn't know how it happened, he knew that he wasn't all that good-looking but Simone seemed to like him. He smiled again and a silvery tear fell on the floor. Filch sat on the shabby but comfortable couch and picked up Mrs. Norris, petting her lightly.

** S**imone was a beauty. Her skin was pale but it didn't make her look sick or weak, her long black hair reached the small of her back and her warm blue eyes seemed to shine with emotion. Sometimes, when she was still alive, he wondered what he had done to deserve an angel like her. But like everything ends so did their love. It was the day he was supposed to propose to her that his angel grew wings and flew away to join her brothers and sisters. Yes, it was a terrible accident, and what was the worst? She died expecting his child. Filch stood up, totally forgetting about Mrs. Norris that was sitting on his legs. She turned around and left the room, offended. He walked over to his unlit fireplace and placed his wrinkled but clean hand on the old black and white muggle photo of Simone. The angel smiled at him and Filch, suddenly enraged, threw the picture across the room, breaking the glass on it.

**H**ow could she keep on smiling after all that happened? How could anyone walk around smiling when his Simone was buried in the cold Scottish soil, right next to his mother, father, brother…so many dead… Their faces haunted him at night, calling him, cursing him for living when they were dead. No wonder he was a "grumpy old squib" as the students sometimes called him, they thought he was jealous and in a way they were right, but it wasn't the magic that he envied them; it was their ability to feel happy without feeling guilt. He sat down again and buried his head in the soft pillows on the battered old couch. It hurt so much to think about her and the time they spent together… He remembered it so well. Too well…

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**T**he day after her coffin was lowered into the hole in the ground that he himself had dug he climbed the stairs of the astronomy tower, intending to end his life and join his only love. He sat on the ledge for hours, not feeling the cold wind, not seeing the white snow falling. A transparent shadow appeared in front of him, the ghostly image of Simone. She was watching him, a small sad smile on her face. He wanted to say something but his throat constricted and he closed his mouth, remaining silent. Simone closed her eyes and a pure silver tear slid down her ghostly cheek. He reached out with his hand and wiped it away, not aware of the tears running down his own cheeks. Simone opened her eyes again and kissed him softly. She smiled again and white wings appeared from nowhere. She waved at him and spread the majestic wings that slowly carried her away. Filch somehow knew that he would never see her again while he was alive. He was just about to jump, to follow her, when a pair of strong arms encircled his shaking body, making him realize just how cold it was outside. "Now, don't do anything stupid. I'm sure Simone wouldn't want you to take your life just because of her"

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** F**rom that night on Filch hated Dumbledore for saying that. Being with Simone was worth much more than his life! Why couldn't the old man understand? But he didn't do anything _stupid_ though that didn't mean that he didn't think about it. Filch stood up again, looking trough the window. It was snowing again and he thought he could see Simone's image far in the distance. He shook his head, pouring himself a glass of brandy. He opened a drawer, taking out a small black box, the box containing the ring that he bought for Simone. He sipped his drink and changed into his old pajamas. He lay in his bed and closed his eyes, not hearing Mrs. Norris meowing. She felt the death coming to claim her master's soul. 

**H**e dreamt of Simone. They were playing hide-and-seek in the castle again; it was too cold to do it outside. She laughed as he chased her up the astronomy tower, her laughter echoing like a million silver bells. He laughed too; she could be so childish at times. He was fast, but she was faster and he reached the top of the tower just in time to see Simone slip on the wet floor and fall off the tower. With a desperate scream he lunged for her barely managing to grab her petite hand. He struggled not to let go, but her hand was slowly slipping out of his. Just before she fell she somehow managed to pull herself up and kiss him. Her hand slowly slipped out of his and his angel fell. There was no panic on her face as she fell and Argus saw a pair of pure white wings appear. As she hit the snow-covered ground he saw an explosion of white light that engulfed his body. At last he was with his Simone.

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**T**he next morning a worried headmaster entered his caretaker's quarters finding Mrs. Norris sitting in front of Argus' bed, not moving an inch. With trepidation Dumbledore shook his caretaker's shoulder, feeling the coldness. Not getting a response he quickly performed some tests that confirmed his suspicions. Argus Filch was dead and he died on the 20th anniversary of Simone's death, when she fell off the tallest tower in Hogwarts. The next week Filch was buried next to his fiancé,they were together at last. 

**.:THE END**

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_Again, I'm warning you that English isn't my first language (I'm still learning it), and please, if you see any spelling or/and grammar mistakes let me know (don't just say"Your grammar/spelling sucks") . Critiques are welcomed._

_Please, no flames (I'll ignore them so don't bother)_


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